The Oilers come home with 38 games left in the season sitting in 29th place overall. No one should be surprised they lost two games in 27 hours at San Jose and Anaheim, but once again the combination of bad defensive zone coverage and Bryzgalov allowing a weak goal cost them.

Eventually you hope the players make more correct decisions that wrong ones, but right now it is clear they have a long way to go before they can compete with the good teams in the western conference, and specifically in the pacific division.

Here are some thoughts on tonight's game and also some news for Eskimos fans.

I didn't have a problem earlier in the season when Eakins wanted Yakupov to play better. I felt that was fair. Tonight, however, Eakins' decision to not use Yakupov on the 6-on-3 PP late in the game was very perplexing. The Oilers biggest problem with their top-two lines is they have no diversity, they all offer similar things.

The six players on the PP mirrored that problem. None of them can shoot a one-time like Yakupov, so why wasn't he on that PP? It made no sense. I wonder if Eakins let his stubborness get the best of him tonight? I understand if he wants Yakupov to earn his icetime, but Yakupov was good yesterday and tonight, so why wasn't he rewarded with a spot on the man advantage?|

The Oilers made some glaring errors on four of the five Ducks goals. RNH had the puck under control but gave it away on first goal. Bryzgalov has to stop the 3rd goal with 4.4 seconds remaining on the clock. Marincin (he is a rookie, so the odd mistake is expected) left Jackman wide open on the 4th goal, while Petry shot the puck directly into Cogliano's shinpads leading to his breakaway.

The Oilers have to find ways to cut down on those mistakes, or they will never improve.

The Oilers top-six had an average weight of 192 pounds, while the Ducks top-six was 212 pounds. They are giving up 60 pounds every shift. The Oilers will never be able to compete with the big, heavy, skilled teams in the Pacific until they add some size in their top-six. (When I say in their top-six, I assume most people realize that means skilled players. We shouldn't have to add "size with skill" every time we mention the need for size. When I mention top-six, I believe that skill is a given part of the equation.)

The Oilers have too many of the same players right now. That isn't a knock on them, and doesn't mean they aren't good, but they are all the same and there is no diversity within their top-six. Size is needed.

No one can be shocked the Oilers lost back-to-back games in the two toughest road rinks in the league. It is disappointing, but these two losses should not cause massive uproar. The Oilers aren't close to the top teams in the league, especially on the road in San Jose and Anaheim.

ESKIMO RUMBLINGS...

The Eskimos have been rather quiet about their coaching staff, but it seems like Chris Jones is getting closer to naming his staff.

Look for Stephen McAdoo to be the offensive coordinator. My sources tell me he hasn't re-signed with the Argos. McAdoo has been with the Argos for four seasons as the O-Line coach and run game coordinator, and prior to that he was the offensive line/running back coach in Montreal from 2003-2005 and then added co-offensive coordinator title in 2006.

This would be McAdoo' first OC job, but he has 15 years of coaching experience. McAdoo and Jones have worked together in Montreal (2003-2006) and in Toronto (2012-2013). They have a history together.

My sources also state that Jarious Jackson will be the quarterbacks/passing game coach. The Eskimos desperately need a former QB to work with the Mike Reilly, and the Esks are close or have already signed him to a deal. Jackson played 8 seasons in the CFL and was the QB coach in BC last season. He will help Reilly and the other QBs. He also should add some insight into pass patterns. Last season the Eskimos ran too many intermediate routes, but never had any safety/under routes that Reilly could dump off to if no one was open downfield.

I'm also hearing that Kevin Strasser could be added as the receivers coach. He has worked with Jones in the past and previously worked with the Eskimos. Sources say the Strasser signing isn't confirmed, but he is a candidate for that job. The main concern is if he would be a distraction. (My apologies for sending out an erroneous tweet earlier today that said he was in the running for the OC job, when it clearly was for WR coach. Stupid mistake on my part.)

McAdoo and Jackson look to be solid additions. McAdoo has a lot of experience while Jackson fills a huge void on the coaching staff.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

Keeping Eakins as the teams coach any longer can only further harm the already fragile state this team is in. He is way over his head and honestly, should never been considered as a NHL coach in the first place. The only reason he was is because MacT thought he needed to make a statement about the new direction he was taking this team. It hasnt worked. Kruger was getting more from this team than Eakins is, plain and simple! Change has to happen, and not only at a coaching level. Management has as much, if not more to do with this teams failings!!

I said this in a previous thread, Eakins is going to lean on Yakupov to distract from the obvious problems on the team.

After watching another debacle of a game again, Eakins bench's Yakupov on the PP after being one of the better Oilers in another brutal game, AFTER he laid out his magical Yakupov plan.

I hate to be so negative here, but Eakins really knows how to distract & deflect criticism from both himself & his team, mostly from himself.

The last three games Hall-RNH & Peron were absolutely destroyed!!

Eakins accountability is pure lip service.

His system didn't work, he said he needs players buying in and playing the game he wants? Since he abandoned his systems, I can't for the life of me figure out what system the players are using to buy in?

He was clearly out coached tonight, having his forth line out when the Getzlaf line was out was the last straw, he needs a co-coach badly or just fire him.

If Kevin Lowe is so smart and he said it himself that he knows a thing or two about winning, why doesn't he take over as coach,he can stand behind the bench waving his six rings and prove to everyone that hes not a idiot.

Lowe and his gang cannot be allowed to deflect blame again by firing another coach. Without a doubt Eakins is probably getting the least out of an Oilers team than we've ever seen, but it's pointless to fire him now.

The only hope for this franchise is for tier 1 fans to run Lowe out of the Oilers organization. Then the old boys club can finally be dismantled and we can start filling management positions in this organization with actual qualified people that know how to build a hockey team. People that think being lucky enough to play with Gretzky and Messier means they are good at management need not apply.

It's all up to you tier 1 fans. Fire Lowe chants, a #4 Lowe jersey tossed on the ice after the next embarrassing home loss. Lowe and Katz need to know you want a REAL change in this organization for once.

Gregor wonders that maybe Eakins didnt play Yak on the PP because he is stubborn. For clarification the reason he didnt put him on the PP is because Eakins has no clue how to run a bench in the NHL and is way over his head. Eakins must go now! Some make the argument that a revolving door of coaches is bad but letting this disaster continue is doing more damage long term. These young men need direction not some rookie coach who experiments with systems. Grow some cojones MacT and get rid of this amateur.

What was the plan that Eakins had for Yak? Yak played his ass off the last 2 games after the benching, and a public comment that a plan was being put in place. (It is now obvious why Eakins didn't reveal to us what this big plan to motivate Yak was). Yak is the guy that got on the scoreboard and then stapled to the bench for the power play. I'm not seeing how this plan is helping Yak with his confidence, but I am seeing a complete bias that Eakins has against Yak. I'm also seeing Eakins further proving himself to be a complete liar as a person and total bust as a coach. I can't understand why MacT is not flexing his muscle and telling Eakins to use Yak fairly.

Lowe and his gang cannot be allowed to deflect blame again by firing another coach. Without a doubt Eakins is probably getting the least out of an Oilers team than we've ever seen, but it's pointless to fire him now.

The only hope for this franchise is for tier 1 fans to run Lowe out of the Oilers organization. Then the old boys club can finally be dismantled and we can start filling management positions in this organization with actual qualified people that know how to build a hockey team. People that think being lucky enough to play with Gretzky and Messier means they are good at management need not apply.

It's all up to you tier 1 fans. Fire Lowe chants, a #4 Lowe jersey tossed on the ice after the next embarrassing home loss. Lowe and Katz need to know you want a REAL change in this organization for once.

Not that I don't support Lowe being fired because I do. But how does that help or improve this team in the short term ? Sure fire him and expect positive change years down the road. But 10 games after Lowe is gone and this team still sucks then what do we chant ?

If you want real change now. Fire the entire coaching staff. Do a real search for a head coach with real due diligence. Give him the reins. That may.. Result in short term positives.

Not that I don't support Lowe being fired because I do. But how does that help or improve this team in the short term ? Sure fire him and expect positive change years down the road. But 10 games after Lowe is gone and this team still sucks then what do we chant ?

If you want real change now. Fire the entire coaching staff. Do a real search for a head coach with real due diligence. Give him the reins. That may.. Result in short term positives.

Oh and trade for a defenseman. Someone. Anyone. :(

Short term? Short term is hardly a consideration right now. This disaster will take a long, long time to repair. We know what we're getting short term, whether Lowe is fired now or not. The sooner he is gone, the better. The healing starts at that very second.

You say "Do a real search for a head coach with real due diligence." Okay, but tell me: who is going to be in charge of hiring this new coaching staff? MacTavish? Lowe? Both? Please don't suggest that MacT would be given carte blanche to hire whomever he feels is the right bunch to lead this organization out of the wilderness. If he had ANY say in keeping Buchberger/Smith around, then he should not be trusted to hire the next group. He needs to be gone also. His pick of Eakins, a rookie head coach, to lead a very young team that needed much better than that, was a poor decision. It was too big of a gamble, when what the organization needed at that position was stability that a proven NHL-level coach could more likely provide.

The bigger problem of all that ails this org. is Katz's unwillingness to do what must be done to save this sinking ship, and I'm guessing many sound hockey minds throughout the league think privately: get rid of Lowe. Do that, and everything below Prez of Hockey Ops starts to repair.

Katz is not a hockey man, he's a fan. And as an owner who's reclusive, as he appears to be to the fanbase, he naturally and understandably feels most comfortable with someone he trusts, someone close to him. That's Lowe. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is problem numero uno.

Lowe and his gang cannot be allowed to deflect blame again by firing another coach. Without a doubt Eakins is probably getting the least out of an Oilers team than we've ever seen, but it's pointless to fire him now.

The only hope for this franchise is for tier 1 fans to run Lowe out of the Oilers organization. Then the old boys club can finally be dismantled and we can start filling management positions in this organization with actual qualified people that know how to build a hockey team. People that think being lucky enough to play with Gretzky and Messier means they are good at management need not apply.

It's all up to you tier 1 fans. Fire Lowe chants, a #4 Lowe jersey tossed on the ice after the next embarrassing home loss. Lowe and Katz need to know you want a REAL change in this organization for once.

It is not pointless to fire him now, at least that will be the first bold move by Mac-T like he promised. Why do you want a coach that is clearly assassinating young players' careers to keep on coaching?

Listened to Stauffer yesterday, he's still preaching patience....these so called kids aren't kids anymore. Sure hope he doesn't lose his job with Coilers as he has negative credibility as a sports reporter now.

Yet another pathetic performance from a pathetic team. It won't take long before a "star" player makes a very public & negative calling of this pathetic organization. Then the real gong show will begin in Deadmonton. Should be fun to watch!

Eakins is a disaster. Mac is a disaster, Katz is a disaster....Lowe should have never been an Oiler in any capacity. I think people are running out things to say about these arrogant fools. You know it's bad when rival fanbases are feeling bad for us. The folks that still go to the game should probably stop doing that. Ban Rexall products too. The media contingent need to grow the cohones and demand accountability. All these disasters have become one big catastrophe.

Not that I don't support Lowe being fired because I do. But how does that help or improve this team in the short term ? Sure fire him and expect positive change years down the road. But 10 games after Lowe is gone and this team still sucks then what do we chant ?

If you want real change now. Fire the entire coaching staff. Do a real search for a head coach with real due diligence. Give him the reins. That may.. Result in short term positives.

Oh and trade for a defenseman. Someone. Anyone. :(

The problem with letting LoweT fire Eakins is that it gives LoweT another free pass. Also I'm scared that it might finally be Buchy's turn to br the HC and that scares the hell out of me.

If Lowe is fired, MacT will be fired and when the new GM comes in that is properly qualified, they can put a qualified coach in. We have gone too long only having buddies or flavours of the week people ruining this great franchise.

Agreeing with many of you guys and like I posted yesterday on Jason's last posting:

@ Jason Gregor
We can talk about the players, coaching, scouting, the gm till we are blue in the face. We can talk about how top notch players may not want to sign here or how hard it is to get a number one defenseman. But at what point do you, or any other Edmonton media call out six rings, the common denominator of the past 8 playoff-less years. The man who orchastrates, to my amazement, a more disappointing organization year after year, after year? At what point does ownership fire this guy who has had chance, after chance.

The last time anyone in the bloody media around here asked the Oilers management or coaches a difficult question was back when MacT got hired ( I think that was Mackinnon at the time). That's when KLowe fired back with the whole "I know a thing or two..." comment. Since then? The team has been beyond horrible and unwatchable, and where are the tough questions? Crickets...

And many Oiler fans laughed when Vancouver didn't consider Eakins and hired Torts. Can you imagine Torts trying to get these Oilers to play a forechecking puck pressure game. He'd be bonkers by now and the press conferences would be totally beeped out

Did anyone see Torts' bleep-show while the Cansucks practiced the pp. a lot of f-bombs cause no one would go to the blue paint.

If Kevin Lowe is so smart and he said it himself that he knows a thing or two about winning, why doesn't he take over as coach,he can stand behind the bench waving his six rings and prove to everyone that hes not a idiot.

Because Moose is not coaching. The only thing that 6lings knows about winning was just chasing Moose's tail around the league.

Just read Willis' article in the EJ justifying resigning 38 year old Ryan Smith for next year. Well if it isn't the idiotic Oiler management making stupid decisions, its the retarded EJ homies constantly trying to put lipstick on a pig and making head scratching recommendations!

I like Strudwick when he talks about anything but the oilers. He absolutely refuses to call out any players or staff. I totally understand why, this was his team and team mates not long ago but at some point you have to call a spade a spade. My guess is he is trying to leave the door open for oiler employment in the future. Best analyst in town by far is Rob Brown, surprisingly with the turkeys he's surrounded by.

LET'S BE FAIR TO THE JOURNALISTS

It is not correct that Strudwick "refuses to call out" Oilers players. FOUR DAYS AGO he wrote an article right here explaining carefully why he thought Yakupov deserved to be benched. In any event, Strudwick does not pretend to be a "hard-hitting" journalist. He parlayed minimal talent into a 15 year NHL career, he has a great sense of humour, and I enjoy him.

Now you are going to think this is strange for me to say this because I have been ripping pretty good on Stauffer the last little while. Calling Bob Stauffer a "slobbering idiot" is just plain mean and unhelpful. As somebody else pointed out, he has stuck his neck out a little bit recently. I think I heard him say the Oilers were 8 or 9 players away from being a competitive team, not 3 or 4. And he is clearly taking Yakupov's side in the Yakupov-Eakins controversy. He thinks Eakins should recognize that he is a rookie coach, put his ego aside, and try to capitalize last years' top goal scorer. I disagree with Stauffer, but it's a fair point.

I guess what bugs me most about Oilers press coverage is that for about 6.5 years they treated the Oilers Glory Boys like holy cows. The press shared the arrogant and conceited attitude of the organization itself. If anybody questioned "the plan", well that was just because they were stupid and they didn't really understand "the plan". Obviously "the plan" is an utter failure. Thank goodness there are more and more people (like Tychkowski and MacKinnon) willing to say so. The press, like the team itself, needs to give us less "attitude", and a lot more humility and realism.

MacT working for sportsnet or Tsn No other team wanted him but the Oil took him cause he's good dammit and we need a good GM ,even though he was fired once by them as a coach.

Eakins, all the talk he made Kadri good and he was destined to be Leafs head coach, hmm they didnt want him and the Leafs sucked then too, but the Oil will grab him, cause a guy that couldnt get hired by another team wanted him, great!

I dont know how many games and how bad you have to play to be able to keep a job, I am reading a ton of blogs and not one comment have I heard the coaching staff or managment say we have to do better and try somthing that will work, nope they blame individual players. The only reason he is still around must be and I dont want to say it because its about his wife so I wont. Frustration builds dont trade players that are the future when we have no season left , we are out of Playoffs only thing to change is managment and see if we can get life out of the players when that change happens. Yaks I feel for you, your not the issue..

Yet another pathetic performance from a pathetic team. It won't take long before a "star" player makes a very public & negative calling of this pathetic organization. Then the real gong show will begin in Deadmonton. Should be fun to watch!

Agreed--I am eagerly awaiting the day one of the young core players, or more than one, makes a huge statement.

Yak "I've had enough of this, I'm breaking my contract and going back to the KHL where not only will they pay me more, I'll get to play for a not-bigoted, not-batsh*t coach"

Hall/RNH/Eberle "I'd like a trade out of Edmonton. I've given it a few years to see things turn around, but instead we've gotten even worse. I no longer want to be a part of this organization, and would like a trade as soon as possible"

Good Read as usual JG. It would be interesting to note how many time over the life of the nation you would have noted similar comments about the oiler short comings and I couldn't agree more. I suspect many of the nation writers and readers would be on the same page yet management current and past have done nothing to address this. The common denominator being six rings. I ask with all sincerity how much longer do we have to put up with a management team that is not worthy of their post on mahogany row ?? How many many more after tax dollars does one need to shed on this mediocre franchise. At some point, someone has to pay for how poorly this organization has been run and how the fan has been treated.
How LOWe can we go ??

Yet another pathetic performance from a pathetic team. It won't take long before a "star" player makes a very public & negative calling of this pathetic organization. Then the real gong show will begin in Deadmonton. Should be fun to watch!

Ok . Let's assume Eakins gets the axe. Who is available? Maurice? Laviolette? So one of them comes in and inherits the same D- Men, the same small seemingly heartless forwards,and the same screen door goalies. He also inherits KSlow (who knows dick about winning), MacT, Bucky, Smitty, and now perhaps Acton given that he once rode the bus too. Why in God's name (not Katz, the other one) would a solid coach with any self-respect come to this fiasco?

Eakins should be fired and put MacT behind bench for rest of year. I am sorry as I thought eakins was a good cjoice at the start of the year but you dont bench yaks on a 6-3 when clearly he's the best one time shot you have. Whwn personal vendettas are getting in the way of smart choices its time to go. Yak has scored in two straight games and seems to me their defense is a bigger pronlem. bryz was terrible. Should have had both lovejoy shots. Marincin should be on the farm team still. He's not good enough to handle the big teams in the pacific division. This team will be lucky to get to 60 points and will finish 30th again. If they dont gut the mgmt and coaches and get rid of all exoilers then I am done with this team. Clearly katz doesnt care and doesnt get it. Ex oilers have ran this team for years and they've done jack crap. Read the writing on the wall for pete sakes. Frig katz the damn fans no more than you. This team isn't even exciting to watch anymore.

If anyone from SN had balls they would start firing off real questions to Kblowe and MacT. They have the rights for the next 10 years. Wtf would kblowe do? Ban them from the rink? He can't!! They will be the main and pretty much only source for coverage so klowe would have to play nice or watch the team slip away from the sports page.

We can't count on the local media to ask anything. They are scared of being cut off and won't be allowed to watch for free. Too reliant on sucking the hind teet.

Maybe all the media should take a press conference or two off. Let these losers talk to themselves if they don't want to answer questions that all of society has to as some point. I mean, does anyone even care what Dallas or anyone has to say at this point? Who cares what any of them have to say? All crap, lies and excuses.

Just read Willis' article in the EJ justifying resigning 38 year old Ryan Smith for next year. Well if it isn't the idiotic Oiler management making stupid decisions, its the retarded EJ homies constantly trying to put lipstick on a pig and making head scratching recommendations!

Willis is hangin out at OKC these days, not sure if he is working for the Oilers or doing spot work for them,, but one thing for sure he is driking the kool aide big time this year.

Use to think he was a knowledgable , probably still is, except for the kool aide.

Randy Gregg,Charlie Huddy, Grant Fuhr,Glenn Anderson,Jari Kurri,Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe all won 5 Stanley cups with the Oilers,4 of these players are in the HHOF,Messier one of the greatest leaders in hockey was passed over as head coach of the NYR 's this past year. Using Kevin Lowes way of thinking, how come none of these other guys are in charge of NHL teams,They all know a thing or two about winning ,appointing Lowe as a general manager when he had no experience was a mistake ,making him president of hockey operations has been a colossal failure,his management record speaks for itself ,the Oilers have been at the bottom of the standings for the past 8 years,it is time that Katz hires a experienced President with a winning record to restore this once great franchise,and undo the damage that Lowe has done,until then I will no longer support this team,I will not renew my seasons tickets which i have had for 14 years,I am not a quitter,I was a die hard Oilers fan ,but I cannot support this team any longer ,doing so would mean I support the incompetence of management and I no longer do, management has had enough time to correct this sinking ship ,we have sunk to the bottom and it's time we release the anchor s Kevin Lowe ,kelly Buchberger,Steve smith,Scott Howson,Craig Mactavish and Dallas Eakins,only then will the sinking end and the Oilers can become a winning team.

Short term? Short term is hardly a consideration right now. This disaster will take a long, long time to repair. We know what we're getting short term, whether Lowe is fired now or not. The sooner he is gone, the better. The healing starts at that very second.

You say "Do a real search for a head coach with real due diligence." Okay, but tell me: who is going to be in charge of hiring this new coaching staff? MacTavish? Lowe? Both? Please don't suggest that MacT would be given carte blanche to hire whomever he feels is the right bunch to lead this organization out of the wilderness. If he had ANY say in keeping Buchberger/Smith around, then he should not be trusted to hire the next group. He needs to be gone also. His pick of Eakins, a rookie head coach, to lead a very young team that needed much better than that, was a poor decision. It was too big of a gamble, when what the organization needed at that position was stability that a proven NHL-level coach could more likely provide.

The bigger problem of all that ails this org. is Katz's unwillingness to do what must be done to save this sinking ship, and I'm guessing many sound hockey minds throughout the league think privately: get rid of Lowe. Do that, and everything below Prez of Hockey Ops starts to repair.

Katz is not a hockey man, he's a fan. And as an owner who's reclusive, as he appears to be to the fanbase, he naturally and understandably feels most comfortable with someone he trusts, someone close to him. That's Lowe. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is problem numero uno.

Couldn't agree with you more. The Oil's hockey organization is rotten to the core and must be fixed by addressing the root cause. Fire Lowe and get a qualified hockey executive to build an organization. He can judge whether MacT, Howson, Eakins or anyone else is the correct fit. Firing anyone below Lowe at this time will actually be counterproductive.

Question; where the Oilers mistakes as bad in the previous past 2 or 3 seasons? I don't think they were nearly as bad, even when all the kids where, well, kids...I see the Oilers mistakes as being far worse this season over seasons past, why? Because they should have all learnt from their mistakes these past few seasons, the coaching staff should have taught the mistakes out of them by now...
listening to your show last night (Jan 3/2014) and Struds said that the Oilers hardly ever used tape to teach guys, & I found that, well...RIDICULOUS!!!!

And many Oiler fans laughed when Vancouver didn't consider Eakins and hired Torts. Can you imagine Torts trying to get these Oilers to play a forechecking puck pressure game. He'd be bonkers by now and the press conferences would be totally beeped out

And many Oiler fans laughed when Vancouver didn't consider Eakins and hired Torts. Can you imagine Torts trying to get these Oilers to play a forechecking puck pressure game. He'd be bonkers by now and the press conferences would be totally beeped out

No it wouldn't be like that. Tortorella would eat these guys alive. The Edmonton media have no urge to ask tough questions. They're just like the owner...fans first. They won't ask the tough questions because they might get a ring thrown at them and get banned from the building, thereby losing the right to watch their buddies play live hockey. There is only a couple media in town who are capable of working somewhere else other than at the local community league newsletter.

How can you even listen to that slobbering fool. When I used to listen to bob I kept waiting for him to drown in his saliva....

Give it a rest Bizzaro. The man is doing his job. He probably hates his job right now, but it is his whole world, wife, kids, mortgage. He is not at fault for this disaster and will be great to listen too if this ever gets turned around. Let him do his job.